Antinuclear

Climate and nuclear threats merge – Australian news to 27 April

It’s a critical time for human and other species, as the threats from climate change and nuclear power are now merging. Climatologist Paul Beckwith explains this in his latest podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRu-Xs4U2r4&feature=push-u&attr_tag=jW6Jq2IuMN0E13lZ-6  Carbon in the Atmosphere is Regularly Exceeding 410 Parts Per Million for First Time in Human History.

This crisis in the global ecosystem is manifested in other ways, notably in loss of biodiversity.

Professor Majia Nadesan explains “Nuclearity” – how politics trivialises the nuclear threat bringing the probability of global nuclear catastrophe. Nuclear scientists have lower awareness of risks, compared to “life”scientists.

AUSTRALIA

USA wants nuclear attack submarines to be based in Perth.

Labor candidate for Monaro Bryce Wilson refutes MP Barilaro’s simplistic push for Small Modular Nuclear reactors.

Federal Nuclear Waste Dump Plan for South Australia. Gathering of South Australian groups to stand firm against nuclear waste dumping.

Submissions to Senate. The Senate Inquiry  on Selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia. has now  73 submissions published  I am going through them, not at this point able to estimate how many pro-nuke how many anti-nuke.

Some recent submissions:

• Barngarla native title holders do NOT support National Radioactive Waste Management Facility on their land – the nominated sites.
• Australian Human Rights Commission predicts legal challenges that might stop nuclear waste dump plans for South Australia.
• Michele Madigan suggests alternative plan for Lucas Heights nuclear waste.
• Barbara Walker – nuclear waste dump would damage tourism, split community, and is illegal in South Australia.

Woomera’s high level nuclear waste to go to Kimba as “Intermediate Level Waste”.

Uranium market slump looks like being permanent. Paladin may shut loss-making Langer Heinrich uranium mine.

Applause for Aboriginal veterans in ANZAC Day march.  Indigenous Rangers left waiting for funding commitment.

Renewable Energy.  Big Queensland business first to use Tesla Powerpack to go off-grid . Westpac joins growing corporate push into wind and solar .  Rental solar scheme targets 15,000 Queensland investment homes.  Angry and frustrated, more customers are quitting the grid. More news at reneweconomy.net.au

INTERNATIONAL

Earth Day and the climate message of the “hockey stick” graph.

NORTH KOREA. Trump’s North Korea talks not likely to succeed.   Report from China that North Korea’s “nuclear mountain” test site has collapsed. Was the collapsed nuclear test site Kim Jong Un’s REAL reason for suspending nuclear tests?

SOUTH KOREA. Hotline set up between North and South Korea.

USA. 

• Trump says North Korea must get rid of its nuclear weapons. Donald Trump has no strategy for following through after talks with Kim Jong Un.
• French President Macron says that Donald Trump is likely to scrap Iran deal. US President Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron called for a “new” deal with Iran.
• Government Accountability Office slams Hanford nuclear waste plant operations.
• Trump administration considers adding a special new military branch – for weapons in space.
• Westinghouse CEO admits that the 2000s “nuclear renaissance” was never going to happen.
• America’s mounting piles of plutonium cores – to be removed, perilously, by contract workers.
• SAN ONOFRE’S NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE TANKS ALREADY BREAKING. Danger of rising sea levels to nuclear waste canisters at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station.
• Will Trump take emergency measures to bail out 2 economically failing nuclear power stations?
• Trump’s Nuclear Posture Review makes allowance for NEW NUCLEAR BOMB TESTING  

UKRAINE. United Nations report finds Chernobyl radiation has caused many cases of thyroid cancer.  New gigantic confinement dome over Chernobyl nuclear wreck is now almost completed. The true impacts of the 1986 nuclear disaster on people and the environment. Caring for Chernobyl’s children. Sisters now ill, exposed to Chernobyl radiation, – urge others to get cancer checks .

FRANCE. Electricite de France (EDF) now recognising the reality that new nuclear power is not economically viable.

UK. 

• Conflict of interest in the appointment of UK’s Chair of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Council. UK government struggles to get community consent for nuclear waste dumping.  Flawed UK government policy in drive to make Cumbria host nuclear waste dump. UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) flip flops in its plans for Trawsfynydd wastes.
• Safety problems at Flamanville nuclear project throw Britain’s Hinkley C nuclear project into doubt.
• High cancer rates in UK’s nuclear test veterans.

IRELAND. Concern raised by Kilkenny County Council over proximity to Hinkley Point nuclear power plant.

RUSSIA. Loss of ice in Russian Arctic has doubled over past 10 years. Future Nuclear-Powered Spaceships (oh by the way, one crashed to Canada in the past).   Nuclear corporation Rosatom partners with National Geographic – to promote nuclear power!

IRAN. The ‘demonising’ of Iran, by USA and other Western powers, despite Iran’s good record on the nuclear deal. Investigative journalist Gareth Porter refutes the spin and deception in claims that Iran is a nuclear threat. Iran’s warnings if Donald Trump tears up 2015 nuclear deal.

OCEANIA. Sea level rise will force evacuation of communities from low-lying islands. Many low-lying atoll islands could be uninhabitable by mid-21st century .

NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Just Stood Up to One of The Most Powerful Industries in The World.

CANADA. Indigenous, environmental, groups warn that Canada is mismanaging nuclear wastes.

SOUTH AFRICA. 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize goes to South African anti nuclear activists.

JAPAN.  Japan ‘covering up’ Fukushima nuclear danger-zone radiation levels and blackmailing evacuees to return to radiated areas swarming with radioactive pigs and monkeys.    Japanese trading house Itochu ‘pulls out of nuclear plant project in Turkey’.

BELGIUM. Belgium’s move away from nuclear power – now pushing offshore wind parks,

April 27, 2018 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina reviews